It always takes a lot of courage for me to say someone is my best friend because it means I have to make myself vulnerable….but I would happily be honored to call LeeAnn my best friend.

LeeAnn is the funniest story-teller, she’s so completely AMAZING and I miss her every day since she moved to Vermont.
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Name: Lee Ann Monroe

Birthday: Halloween!

Describe yourself as you are or as you want to be remembered:
Hmm…I’d like to be remembered as fun, honest, smart, and tolerant. Mostly though as someone who always helped other people remember why they are special and that they can do anything.

Favorite book? (Or blog or podcast):
Favorite book…this is hard. I only finish books I fall in love with. They are all my favorite at the time. I guess if I have to pick, Hope for the Flowers. It’s one of those books with a message I want to spread around.

That or The Other Boleyn Girl. Its full of scandal, adventure, and intrigue!

Favorite quote:

“Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear”

What motivates you?
Other people motivate me.

How do you best take care of yourself? What is your favorite way to be healthy?MASSAGE is my favorite way to be healthy – you can imagine how I’m faring now…

What is your greatest strength?
I’m pretty good at communicating. Talking so people will want to listen.

Who inspires you? What have they taught you?
My dad inspires me. He’s taught me that most things are not worth fighting about.

My kids inspire me. They teach me everyday that EVERYTHING has the potential to be wicked fun.

What’s the best advice or wisdom you’ve ever received?
There’s a difference between NEED and REALLY REALLY WANT.

What cheers you up or encourages you when you’re down?
Fresh air cheers me up. I always feel better after being outside. And wine (but I kind of think that’s cheating.) Being creative and making something new from something old encourages me.

What are you proudest of?
I am proudest of my friends. I have some really great ones. They’re so diverse and talented and continually push me to be a totally different me.

What is your biggest goal for 2015? My biggest goal is to be more giving of myself. I get caught up in books/social media/tv and spend too little time focusing on the people in my life. Close by and far away

{Please share a photo or two of yourself at your happiest! And tell a little bit about the photo(s)}I love this first one because it’s at the top of Mt. Snow, right after we moved here.

In looking for pictures of being happy, I realized that when I’m happy, I take pictures of what’s making me happy.

So the first picture Brian took, of me, taking a picture of Amelia and Arie, who were making me happy. The middle picture is at Bonnaroo – what more could you ask for, a free donut, an iced coffee in 100 degree weather, a vacation with just my husband, and waiting to see Vance Joy.The last picture is an obvious one – legit JOY is both captured on my face and sitting next to me. Despite it being a little blurry, it’s a rare picture.
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Ahhhhhhhh! I’m so honored to be one of LeeAnn’s happy moments!!!! :)

Thank you so much, LeeAnn, for taking the time to answer my questions. You ARE a Wonderful Wonder Woman. I miss you.